Composite rail-tie.



W. J. HOHNHORSI.

COMPOSITE RAIL TIE.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.29, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

part of it in UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. HOHNHORST, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO THOMAS B. MATHEWS AND ONE-THIRD TO JOHN C. BROWN, BOTH OF COVINGTON,

KENTUCKY.

COMPOSITE RAIL-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1911.

Application filed December 29, 1910. Serial No. 599,916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLI'AM J. Horm- HORST, a citizen of the United States, and re siding at Co'vington, Kenton county, State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and useful Composite Rail-Tie; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact deseri tion of the invention, attention being called to the drawing which accompanies this application and forms a part thereof.

This invention relates to certain improvements in rai' ties, constructed of decay-resisting material like cement or concrete and combined with wood.

In the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof, will be found a full description of my invention, together with its parts and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l, is a perspective view of the tie and illustrates manner of its use. Fig. 2, is a side-dew of it, with parts in longitudinal section. Fig. 3, is a top-view. Fig. 4, shows I perspective view and illustrates manner of its construction. Fig. 5, is a cross-section of it.

The body A of the tie consists of a suitable material having moisture-proof and decayresisting properties like cement or concrete for instance, or similar materia s.

The particular material used is treated and worked according to its character, and in case of cement or concrete, is formed to shape while in plastic condition, a suitable mold being used. This shape is prismatic, but by preference all or the larger part of the vertical sides, having referenceto the completed tie when in position, are sloping to form an enlar ed base to insure a stable position. Accor ingly, these sides are tapered as shown at 7, with the exception of the narrow sides at the ends, the upper part of which is left straight as shown at 8.

Cement or concrete is the material" here are fitted to these recesses and sized to be flush with the sides and top of the tie-body so that, when in position, a tie with intact sections are connected to as to project beyond wooden ties are used.

sides results. These blocks ii closely fitted remain readily in position within the recesses, but holding means may be added for instance such having adhesive or cementing properties. These means may involve the use of coal-tar, that is the blocks might be dipped before insertion, so that the wood receives at the same time a protective coating.

They may also be held down by being made wider at their lower side as shown and dove-tailedinto the recesses, these latter being formedaccordingly. In this case the blocks 'are slipped into position endwise, .note dotted lines in Fig. 1, after which means are used to retain the blocks endwise in position. These means consist of a band preferably made of two angular sections 10 and 11, each fitted against one of the long sides and one of the short sides of body A, as best shown in Fig. 3. The ends of these each other by suitable means. By preference the connection is so as to permit the band to be drawn tight. A way of doing this is by turning the ends of the two parts of one section, section 11 for instance, outwardly to form flanges 12, 12 and by extending the ends of section 10, so

the tic-body at diagonally opposite corners and be opposite flanges 12, 12, as shown, to permit the use of tie-bolts, one 13 being used at one corner while another one 14, is used at the other corner. As will be seen, the band may now be drawn tight lengthwise by tightening bolt 13 and it may be closed transversely by tightening bolt 14. To prevpnt any possibi ity of this band from slipping up on the tapering side of the tie, the shorqparts of it are set against the straight part8 of the ends of the tie.

The entire structure is reinforced by a suitable iron skeleton which may consist of rods embedded into body A. Three are used, an inner one 15 near the bottom of the tie and two outer ones 16 close to the top. These latter rods are bent at 17 so as to pass :Irround the recesses a, a, as best shown in ig. 2.

It will now be seen that a rail 18 may be put down in position and attached by use of spikes 19, the same as is done when the usual If bolsters 9 are worn out, they may be readily replaced b new ones without requirmg taking up of t 10 tie-body. This latter is practically indestructible and need never be disturbed so that as far as the ties are concerned repair and maintenance is limited to having recesses in its upper side, onenear each end, which recesses extend transversely entirely through the tie, being contracted in Width from their bottoms upwardly, wooden rail bolsters fitted to these recesses and a tieband consisting of two connected sections drawn around the sides of the body in 'a position to be opposite the ends of the bolsters, to confine themin the recesses.

2. A rail-tie consisting-of a. concretebody Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of latents together at diagonally opposite corners of. s

the tie and pass over the ends of the bolsters to confine them in position'and bolts to connect the twoparts of the tie-band to each other.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. HOHN HORST.

Witnesses: I

C. SPENGEL,

- T. Lu BEAU.

; Washington, D. 0. 

